As festival season kicks off, we're seeing more Latin acts than ever gracing UK stages. Proudly SXSW London's official Latin music co-curator on June 3, we're back at Lambeth Country Show on June 7 and 8, before preparing for the big one - LatinoLife in the Park - on July 20. But what has got us really excited is a Latina artist who is NOT featured on our Latin stages. Why? Because South London Colombian Sasha Keable is a festival headliner as a British artist. We love that, just as we loved chatting to this fierce talent with the chops of a soul queen and the drama of a telenovela star.
With Bad Bunny and Rauw Alejandro both arriving on UK shores, we're also celebrating the fact that they're showing us some salsa love. Salsa is Back explores this revival and what it means. And this is just the prelude to the ever-essential Festival Guide 2025. See you for some summer Latin vibes!
La Reina Del Sur
what happens when South London girl meets telenovela queen? You get Sasha Keable, whose passion-infused, full-bodied soul has been resonating with fans and raising eyebrows in the music industry for all the right reasons. Headlining SXSW, the world's most prestigious festival for music professionals, at its London debut, where the UK music industry is presenting the London artist to the world as one of the nation's proudest breakthrough talents, few will see the Latina in her or her music. But, as Jose Luis Seijas finds out on meeting this theatrical Lewisham mamasota with tons of attitude, Sasha Keable is as about as paisa as you can get.
Sasha Keable had been on my radar for a few years. A fiery red-head with incredible vocal range, there was just something different about the distinctly gritty beauty in her tone, like Mary J Blige, but London grit not New York. Then in 2023, I came across a TikTok video where she was switching from South London slang to heavy Colombian Spanish. I thought, well there you are, just when you thought you knew everyone in your community, you realise we Latinos are now tied into the fabric of UK culture, assimilated, almost.
It is perhaps the refreshing trait of a new generation that you can have a style that is so London, a Colombianidad that's so, well Colombian and it's like, no biggie.
mean? So I don't know, it's just kind of one of those things that is part of me," says Sasha. "But I guess, because I don't sing in Spanish, people might think there's a bit of a disconnect between my heritage, my culture and I guess my music. But then people remark on the way I dress and kind of assume that it's from me growing up in South London or whatever. I'm like, no, it's...I'm Colombian."
“I don't feel I need to prove to anyone how Colombian I am."
"It's never something that I really think about honestly, when you're just like, you are something. Our lives revolved around Elephant (South London's Colombian area). We'd spend every Mother's Day, Christmas, birthdays, do you know what I
The fact that Sasha doesn't feel she has to prove anything regarding her identity, is her strength. There is an ease and authenticity to her style, which reflects someone who is not trying too hard. When she is described as the "mouthpiece of modern British music," that is what she is. At the same time, the fact that she isn't trying to 'make it' into the 'Latin' space, doesn't mean that she isn't proud about being Latin. I put this to Sasha, adding: you are just doing your music, projecting your own thing, maybe you don't feel you need to prove that you're Latina.
"Yeah, I've never felt the need to prove it, but...as I get more and more into the public eye, I get comments obviously, being white and being Colombian..." she explains, and I know exactly where she's heading. "There's people that have this Latino stereotype, like you have to have long black hair. My sister looks like what you'd say, more stereotypical. And I just think, that's people being ignorant and not being educated on what our country looks like in terms of diversity. So I kind of don't really pay much attention to it. I don't feel I need to prove to anyone how Colombian I am."
Sasha's songs and style. The drama in her storytelling and her theatrical delivery in "Why" or "Hold Up", her playfulness and comedy, remind me of the Latina women in my own life.
"I can cuss you out in Spanish, so shut up. It just blows my mind that people are kind of that ignorant. I'm like... the fact that you'd say that shows me you don't even know what a Colombian woman looks like."
"People come to you saying you're not Colombian. Is that real?"
"Yeah, absolutely...because I don't look Colombian enough for them."
"Wow, that's crazy."
"What do you want me to do, do you know what I mean?" She laughs. "Yeah. But I guess the thing is...I can cuss you out in Spanish, so shut up. It's just silly. It just blows my mind that people are kind of that ignorant. I'm like, don't even... the fact that you'd say that shows me you don't even know what a Colombian woman looks like."
When Sasha gets expressive like this, it kind of clicks, what is different about this artist from Lewisham who started making waves in 2021 with the sensational EP "Intermission" including the huge track "Killing Me" and, after a hiatus, has come back to make waves again with "Hold Up" (2024) and "Act Right" (2025). Without a single word of Spanish, there is something very Latina in
"I was raised by a Colombian woman, by multiple Colombian women actually; my mom, my nana and my sister, all three of them raised me. Yeah, so I was more raised within Colombian culture than English culture really." Sasha says. "And then, yeah, I've been back to Colombia every year since I was a baby. We used to spend a month there for Christmas. So, I've very much been surrounded by Colombian women."
Even down to the subject matter in many of Sasha's songs, the heartbreak, she is sharing the space with Colombian superstar Karol G, the queen of despecho (heartbreak). But in Sasha's version of despechada there is something distinctly real and raw, the fuck-you attitude, that is very London. Being Colombian comes out in her music in more subtle ways than brandishing a flag.
"Yeah, I think that passion really shaped me. I used to come home and my mom would be listening to vallenatos and I'd be like, okay, she's either crying or she's cleaning and I'm not sure which one. And I'd be scared of both. I'd be like... what's going on. We are very passionate people, whether it's about each other, our country, anything you can be passionate about...a piece of paper. It's just how we are. And we're loud, do you know what I mean? All of these things definitely shaped me. Massively."
The look and feel in Sasha's latest release, "Act right", which she says is inspired by her memories of spending time with her family in Colombia, is more telenovela than ever. The skinny London girl of a few years ago, has blossomed into a passionate woman, a suffering protagonist, confident in her curves, more mamasota than mamacita. At the same time, the Londoner is evident, more defiant and natural than the tanned, super-operated, over-sexualised Colombian aesthetic.
"I think my biggest way of being Colombian is the not being scared of showing that I care, and even just loving really hard. I think that's my biggest downfall sometimes also. But I mean, it is what it is. I can't help it. People see me and think, that's just how I am, but the way I am is probably more Colombian than anything else. Do you know what I mean? We Colombians don't do nonchalant. We do passion. We either give it 100% or what's the point? Whatever it is, partying, drinking, whatever. We just don't party. We party hard and we love hard…”
"My mom came over from Colombia and I watched her build a life for herself. She grew up in Niquia in Medellin. It was not cute. Just watching someone build a life for themselves out of nothing gives you a reality check."
And you went full on Medellin ambience in "Act Right," I laugh, referring to her mother's birthplace Bello, just outside Medellin, where Sasha spent much of her childhood.
"Yeah, I mean I think aesthetically there's so many things that come through. For "Take Your Time" as well, the video for that, the director was talking about, we want your Colombian heritage to come through dah, dah, dah, dah, whatever. And they were sending me references and I was like, this is the thing, these are Mexican references. I'm not Mexican, I'm Colombian, you know what I mean? So then I started sending over a bunch of stuff and they were like, oh, okay...
“Even how I decorate my house and stuff. Houses in Colombia, they're like my dream homes, when you go just outside of Medellin and all of that, places like Concepción, to me that's my perfect aesthetic. And I'm obsessed with flowers, obviously. That's just a huge thing in our culture. We're so abundant with flora. So I think there's things that slip through a lot more than I realised. And it just naturally lends into my aesthetic. Yeah."
Around four and a half years ago, Sasha took a break from music, citing burnout and the intense pressures from the music industry. Not everyone comes back from taking a break, you could have given up...your mum seems to be a big inspiration for you, did that immigrant mentality help?
"My family have always been very resilient. My mom came over from Colombia, couldn't speak a word of English, working in the hospital cleaning, even though in Colombia she was a nurse. I watched her build a life for herself. Do you know what I mean? She grew up in Niquía in Medellin. It was not cute. Just watching someone build a life for themselves out of nothing gives you a reality check. It's like she can really turn to you and be like, you don't even know how lucky you have it for real. I remember the first time going to the area that my mom grew up in and I was like, 'oh shit, okay'. It teaches you to appreciate what the fuck you have and to be resilient and to work hard because you could always have it worse. You need to get up and keep fighting for real . In music you have to, so I'm sure that's played into it massively.”
I'd never say never. I don't know what the future holds. Don't get me wrong, I love reggaetón, to party, to dance, to shake my ass, but for me to make it, noooo, I'm good actually. I think that I'm trying to find how to mesh the two worlds in a way that makes sense to me because I don't want to do it just for the sake of doing it. I want to do it because it feels right, because a lot of people when they find out I'm Colombian, they're like, oh my God, you should make music in Spanish. And I'm like, I mean, yeah, I should, but when it feels right, I don't feel any massive pressure to do it because, again, I don't feel the need to prove that I'm Colombian just by recording in Spanish. Am I making sense?"
You mentioned your mum listening to vallenatos and that is music of the heart really. Can you see yourself doing Latin music?
"I'd love to do a Cumbia record, but that seems like it's later down the line for me. I have started writing in Spanglish. But I'm just like, I don't feel like I'm drawn to doing reggaetón.
Yeah, because you see a lot of people copying each other and then they end up all sounding the same.
"Yeah, I mean, look, I just want to make good music. R&B is my bread and butter, but I don't even really put myself into just one genre because I listen to so many genres. I grew up around so many different types of music. So, I just make what feels right. That's why I would never be like, 'I'll never do'. If the feeling's right, if I write the right song, who knows what the future holds. But right now I'm just enjoying the journey of writing more in Spanish, which is stretching my abilities, because I've never had to be poetic in Spanish, if that makes sense. And I feel like I make music for myself. I don't make music for anyone else. I love the fact that other people enjoy it, but it's therapy to me, and it's such a personal thing, that if I end up just enjoying the process, and never releasing it, then that's OK."
"I think my biggest way of being Colombian is not being scared of showing that I care, and even just loving really hard. That's my biggest downfall sometimes. But it is what it is. I can't help it."
I have to ask this…let's say in a few years time, you could choose any Latino or Colombian artist to collaborate with, who would you pick?
Sasha laughs: "Do you know what I'm going to say? Just because it would be such a full circle moment. The first time I really started listening to music in Spanish was when I was listening to Juanes, to La Camisa Negra when I was a kid and learned all the lyrics. So yeah, just for that, because it would just be like, wow, iconic. I would love to work with him."
That would be a great collaboration! And lastly, what would be your advice to any young Latina in the UK wanting to be an artist.
"Yeah, I would just say, honestly, follow your gut. Follow your instinct. Your instinct is always right and just keep going. This is not an easy industry and you really have to know that this is what you want because you could get multiple knock backs. It is not just going to be one knockback, it could be 10, 15, and you have to be able to be like, okay, cool. Get back up. How do I do this? But I think just being true to yourself, always, and realising that your gut is always right. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. I'd say that."
Sasha Keable plays at SXSW on Tuesday 3 June at Shoreditch Town Hall, 9pm She'll also perform this year at Glastonbury, Colors NYC and Meltdown festival
BUT IT NEVER WENT
WENT AWAY
Over the past few months, the world has seen its biggest reggaetón artists, Bad Bunny and Rauw Alejandro, go back to their roots with salsa releases, in a nod to the Puerto Rican legends that made them. Despite having paved the way for the rise of reggaetón to global dominance, the very reggaetón boom they inspired has left scores of talented musicians jobless on the island with the demise of live salsa music and recording. Amaranta Wright explores the motives and context of the current 'revival' of salsa, if it is indeed that, and whether it now signals the demise of reggaetón.
At the end of 2024, Rauw Alejandro, the coolest dude in reggaetón, included a version of Frankie Ruiz's 1985 hit Tu Con El in his
album Cosa Nuestra - a bold move considering that the late Nuyorican artist was one of the finest salsa singers that ever lived and a national treasure in Alejandro's native Puerto Rico. The production was almost identical to the original, with Rauw's smooth tone eerily resembling the great New Jersey-born Puerto Rican vocalist.
“if
you forced an English person into a thought about salsa, it would consist of not-very-cool short chubby men sporting pleated trousers, silky shirts and medallions. And yet, Bad Bunny knows that, in the real world, salsa and salsa artists were always cool”
Because of salsa's intricate rhythms and syncopation, with many instruments playing different rhythmic patterns and beats falling in expected places, few reggaetón artists had up till then attempted the genre. Would Rauw Alejandro really be able to sing the song live? The question was answered with a performance in New York City, the Puerto Rican's authentic street swagga, smooth delivery and charisma forgiving his vocal imperfections and his limited soneo. Slick rather than raw? Yes, but cute and captivating. Salsa's veritable Bruno Mars.
Then in January 2025 we get something even better. Bad Bunny releases Baile Inolvidable (Unforgettable Dance), written by himself. Not only was it courageous for the world' most successful reggaetón artist to release an original track, Bad Bunny goes a step further and tackles head on what is the most uncool perception of salsa among his non-Latino audience - the salsa class.
In his music video, an old man enters a community centre enquiring about salsa lessons, before flashing back to a young Bad Bunny, not the global style icon we know, but a shy and clumsy version, trying to follow the steps in the class. Who hasn't, if just once, been that guy or girl in a salsa class, feeling self-conscious and distinctly uncoordinated, mumbling 1-2-3 step 4-5-6? Every community, in every country in the world, from Telford to Tokyo, has a salsa class, and the exact same scene that could have taken place 1975 or in 2025.
On the one hand, the commercially savvy artist taps into salsa's most universal and timeless experience. Yet, there is a bravery in using the tacky perception of salsa, to reveal a genre that is, at its very core, as cool as afrobeats, soul, jazz, funk, hiphop or any other urban music. Only Bad Bunny could have done this. What other circumstance would have BBC Radio l's Nick Grimshaw fawning over a video of a salsa class?
In the real world, if Bad Bunny hadn't made this song, it would have been ignored by British radio DJs and media, not even important enough to mock. Because, let's be honest, if you forced an English person into a thought about salsa, it would consist of not-very-cool short chubby men sporting pleated trousers, silky shirts and medallions.
And yet, Bad Bunny knows that in the real world, away from the white-owned music media and its hipster universe, salsa and salsa artists were always and are still cool, because they authentically express Afro-Latin street culture, whether in San Juan, Puerto Rico or the slums of Nueva York.
For Latin Americans, those salseros in pleated trousers are as cool as Fela Kuti. Rauw Alejandro's whole album, Cosa Nuestra (Our Thing) and the trilby-wearing vintage gangsta-look he created, is a homage to Willie Colón and Hector Lavoe's seminal 1969 salsa album of the same name. Not only is salsa cool, even reggaetoneros recognise that, from a musical point of view, it is a richer, better, more sophisticated level of music. "When I listen to Inolvidable I think: this is the best song I've done in my life," Bad Bunny recently told Rolling Stone Magazine.
Rauw Alejandro's New York salsa-inspired Cosa Nuestra not only became his highest charting album, it would end up having the highest-streaming first week for any Latin album in 2024. And Bad Bunny's
album, a love letter to traditional Puerto Rican music, reached number 1 on the Billboard chart and broke Spotify's record for reaching l billion streams, in only 13 days.
It's no wonder the new salsa releases have resonated with audiences. But, let's be clear, Bad Bunny and Rauw Alejandro did not bring balsa back, because salsa never went away.
The Music of the Streets
he beaches of Lima may not have the glamour of Rio or the swagger of Havana; they are grey, gritty and rough. But on Sundays in the summer, families and friends descend onto playa Los Yuyos or Aguas Dulces for a much-needed respite from a relentlessly chaotic Latin American capital. What struck me this January, as I sat on the beach soaking up the sounds of stereos competing for airwave dominance, was the absence of current urban pop hits. Most of the music being played were old salsa hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s: Frankie Ruiz, Wille Colon, Cheo Feliciano, El Gran Combo, Tito Nieves, Joe Arroyo and Luis Enrique to name a few. Whilst urban artists may be filling stadiums and dominating commercial radio, on the streets, at kioskos (corner shops) and bodegas, out of cars and here on the beach, salsa is alive and kicking.
"All over Latin America, salsa is the music that is still played on the streets, it's the music that brings families and friends together," says Jose Luis, the UK’s leading Latin DJ. "Just like 70s and 80s RnB is for today's urban music, salsa's rhythms are a joyous common denominator at the roots of contemporary Latin music. It’s the music that made us. Most importantly, it's the music that still gets us dancing."
Despite Bad Bunny claiming that "now people are going to salsa classes, I think the whole world wants to dance salsa,” the reception to his song was not a product of any kind of 'salsa revival' he kicked off. Just as his album, with its nod to traditional Puerto Rican genres, was one that he was waiting to record, it was also one that his Latin American fanbase was waiting to receive.
On the other side of the continent from Lima, in Argentina, where Puerto Rican reggaetón has inspired a generation of Argentine urban artists, more people are also listening to salsa than ever before. When I lived in Buenos Aires in the 1990s, relatively few people listened to salsa; you would only hear rock, pop, bad techno and copycat cumbia in the Argentine capital. In 2025, after three decades of immigration from Colombia, Bolivia, Peru and, most recently, Venezuela, one out of two taxi drivers will be playing salsa. On the streets of Buenos Aires, cars pass frequently blurting out Frankie Ruiz or Oscar D’Leon. "Buenos Aires is more Latino than it's ever been," Daniel, a local Argentine barista admits. "The Venezuelan's have brought us their sabor (flavour)."
Ironically, it was one of the most internationally successful of Argentina's new wave of urban artists, Nathy Peluso, who first recorded a straight salsa track, Puro Veneno back in 2021. Despite being criticised by salsa purists, she has continued to record salsa tracks such as La Presa and, only a few weeks ago, Erotika, a tribute to the salsa erotica of the 90s that she grew up with. Defending herself on Tiktok, she said: "I’ve been a salsa addict since I was born. Everyone who knows me knows that, for me, salsa is home.
Eddie Santiago, Grupo Niche, La Gloria, Ray Barreto, Celia for fucking ever!!!"
Salsa as the Foundation of Reggaetón
“Not to take anyining away from Nathy's passion for the genre, or her decent efforts, the salsa produced by Puerto Ricans or Cubans has groove that is difficult for any musician who has not grown up in the Latin Caribbean or immersed in Afro-Latin culture, to replicate, TI continues Latin DJ Jose Luis. This groove, this tumbaoa product of the subtly imbued timing, rhythm, cadence or maña, deeply rooted in African culture - combines to sooth the soul, tug the heartstrings, lift the spirit and make the listener move. And this groove is present in Bad Bunny and Rauw's salsa, though not perfect by any means, reminding us that salsa is at the root of reggaetón culture.
Nathy Peluso
“Salsa...it’s in my blood and in my culture, and it’s something I love,” Rauw Alejandro told Billboard. “The Colón-Lavoe Cosa Nuestra had the elegance and the musicality and the instruments, which you will hear in this album."
Bad Bunny went further, saying that making Debí Tirar Más, whose first track Nuevayol kicks off with the opening verses of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico’s 1975 anthem Un Verano en Nueva York, was the most enjoyable period in his recording life. "I didn't want the experience to end," the reggaetón artist confessed. Referring to the young musicians from the Escuela Musica Libre de Puerto Rico, who he recruited to help him make the album, he added: "I will keep on making songs with this group of musicians. I don't even have to release them. But just seeing these kids play, enjoying the music, it was so beautiful that I would do it every day. I would go to the studio every day to make music with them."
Between Rauw and Bad Bunny's salsa releases, Guaynaa, one of the most successful independent reggaetoneros from Puerto Rico, released an EP Aguinaldo, with classic salsa songs: Ven Devorame Otra Vez (Lalo Rodriguez), Lobo Domesticado (Tommy Olivecia Orchestra), Cinco Noches (Paquito Guzman) and La Esencia del Guaguanco (Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez and Johnny Pacheco). Despite being sandwiched by major artists, the release shows a trend within the reggaetón market.
For these artists, recording salsa is clearly a homecoming. Yet, argues Jose Luis, it's easy to forget that reggaetón artists have always drawn from salsa. "In Tego's 2002 ground-breaking album El Ayabarde, one of the most influential reggaeton albums in history, you could hear salsa everywhere, from the horn riff of Dominicana’s melodic hook, taken straight from El Gran Combo’s seminal tune Ojos Chinos to the hybrid salsa hiphop Salte del medio." On his 2004 seminal Barrio Fino album, Daddy Yankee mixed salsa and reggaetón in his Sabor a melao. In 2008, Calle 13 brought Ruben Blades, one of salsa's most successful composers and singer, to record La Perla in a tribute to the San Juan slum that produced many of the greatest salsa musicians from the Island.
El Gran Combo
Ruben Blades - René Pérez
Tommy Olivecia Orchestra
Paquito Guzman Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez
27 May – 8 June
“Salsa has always been in the DNA of reggaetón and one of the reasons why reggaetón exploded,” concludes Jose Luis. “For me, Bad Bunny’s album is simply a modern version of Tego’s El Ayarbarde.”
We Need to Talk about Salsa
The problem with salsa was never its lack of popularity. The problem is that, during the last two decades, there have been less and less new
salsa albums being produced and even fewer salsa bands touring. This has mainly been an industry decision: reggaetón produces more money with less effort. Recording and touring salsa requires paying an average of 15 highly-trained high-quality musicians. Salsa can't just be churned out on a computer; from song writing to arrangement, creating a salsa song requires more skill and time, as Bad Bunny confessed about Inolvidable: "I spent nearly a year making it." With the exception of Marc Anthony, salsa production doesn’t constitute a return on investment for labels and promoters.
Even in its heyday, salsa was never a rich man's game. In the 70s and 80s, despite the fantastic music, the best-selling records and the idolatry from fans, singers such as Frankie Ruiz, Hector Lavoe and Ismael Rivera never received a fair share of the fortunes being reaped by legendary labels such as Fania, as Ruben Blades famously once said “whenever a Fania singer died, we had to pass the bucket.” Lavoe, one of salsa’s biggest selling artists (even today with almost 4.5 million monthly listeners) died young and poor. The great composer, Tito Curet Alonso, author of many of greatest hits still played today, died virtually unknown and certainly not rich.
Despite the reggaetón boom, and vast amounts of money the urban genre generates, many musicians in Puerto Rico, the very country that gave birth to it, struggle to survive. And, with so many unable to make money, less and less are inclined to put themselves through the training required to compose, play and sing salsa songs. Consequently, it’s more difficult to find young musicians with these highly-complex and refined musical skills. "In general, the art of Latin music, its message and storytelling, musically and lyrically, has been sacrificed for the business of music," says Venezuelan percussionist Joaquin Arteaga, leader of Barcelona based salsa-outfit Tromboranga.
Hector Lavoe
Frankie Ruiz
Tito Curet Alonso
Ismael Rivera
While Tromboranga is one of the few salsa bands created in the last two decades who has bucked the trend and is lucky enough to tour all over the world, invited to play alongside legendary bands such as Gran Combo and Oscar D'Leon, Joaquin admits: "all of it has been done with a lot of hard work and sacrifice. We don't have a label backing us. All the money for recording, mastering, distribution, marketing is put up by myself personally. We have survived out of sheer love and dedication to this 14-year-old baby. Not every new bandleader is willing to endure what I have, but the problems we have overcome have made us stronger. "
Another successful salsa act is the Cuban-born multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, composer and bandleader Rene Alvarez, who has carved out a niche career headlining salsa festivals, while holding residencies in elite venues in London, Dubai, Monaco and Croatia and as the salsero of choice for celebrities in private members clubs, and the world’s wealthiest in intimate mansion concerts. "I've survived by being flexible, by creating bands with different formats," says Alvarez. "I can pull together a full on salsa band when there's a budget. But I also have other smaller traditional son formats or my Cuban funk band Alvarez Funk, which incorporates afrobeats, funk and urban."
Reggaetón is Dead, Long live salsa?
In an apparent recognition of salsa's problem, Bad Bunny and Rauw Alejandro are using their influence to both recognise their musical heritage and also reinstate
Puerto Rican music and culture to the position they deserve. In addition to giving work to the musicians for his album and tour, Bad Bunny invited the legendary Puerto Rican filmmaker, Jacobo Morales, to play the "old guy" in his video. Furthermore, Bad Bunny has committed the whole of 2025 to performing in Puerto Rico in a move to promote tourism on the island, selling hundreds of thousands of tickets for his upcoming residency at one of Puerto Rico’s most beloved venues, El Choli.
Tromboranga's Joaquin Arteaga, believes that the decision to go back to salsa is not purely altruistic, however: "It's the other way round. Why did Bad Bunny decide to do a salsa album? Because he knows the salsa public is there." Colombian music critic Gastón Meda, goes as far as to say that this salsa revival is the logical consequence of "slowly dying" reggaetón.
Rene Alvarez
"Reggaetón got so commercial that it stopped being interesting. People have got bored and want to hear something different," Meda says. "If you think about the biggest recent hits from reggaetón artists, like Rosalia’s Despechá and Karol G’s Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido, they are merengues. So going back to salsa to make hits is the next step.”
"For all its success, neither reggaetón, hiphop, even merengue or bachata, have been able to replace salsa, and why people still listen to it. No other Latin genre has its syncopeo, bajeo, sabor musical, its riqueza, that makes it still so attractive," says René Alvarez."The irony is that all the reggeatoneros love salsa. They wish they could sing it, but not a lot of them can, because salsa is very difficult to sing. They feel limited so it's safer to stick to reggeatón."
DJ Jose Luis believes, however, that reggaetón’s move into salsa is more genuine. ”For me, it feels like it’s come from a place of love. If they were born 10 years earlier, Bad Bunny and Rauw would have been salseros. Rauw knew he risked being destroyed by the salsa purists to take on, not only a Puerto Rican icon, but his most iconic song. Bad Bunny based his album release around the salsa track. For both artists, it could have gone completely wrong”.
Whatever the interpretations on the motives, the reception to Bad Bunny's Inolvidable has been overwhelmingly positive, even among salsa artists themselves. "Look what Bad Bunny's shown? He made a decent attempt and it worked. None of us are criticising him, because he does have the sandunga, he does have the swing," says Alvarez.
"He has done something important," agrees Joaquin, despite his scepticism. "We all know that his album would have got nowhere without the marketing spend behind it, but its success has at least given the industry bosses in offices the numbers and the evidence of what we have been saying all along: that salsa hasn't died."
One thing is to invest in Bad Bunny's salsa, but will labels now invest in the genre? Perhaps only if more reggaetón artists dare to take it on, knowing, as Joaquin Arteaga says, "how demanding the salsa public is."
The fact that Bad Bunny's salsa is not simply an attempt to copy what went before, gives us hope. Inolvidable is salsa, but not as we know it - upbeat lyrics delivered in a (downbeat) minor key, contrary to most salsa, where the music is incongruously upbeat in relation to often depressing lyrics. Most importantly, in Inolvidable's "salsa class" video, Bad Bunny conveys the very thing that is cool
about a salsa class - a place where nobody is trying to be cool, where everyone is welcome, allowed to be vulnerable and where human contact is still OK, as DJ Jose Luis quips, with a laugh: “There are not many places where you can hold a stranger by the hips and not risk being accused of sexual harassment.”
While the fate of new salsa music and musicians still remains uncertain, at the very least we can enjoy two reggaeton tours this year that no doubt will be more interesting musically than the bland reggaetón shows of recent years. "It’s the first time I use my band and live music in an entire project,” boasts Rauw Alejandro, who brings his Cosa Nuestra tour to London in June. More and better musicians on stage, playing music that has more substance and quality, that at least is a good start. Let's see which reggaetón artists have the guts and the chops to follow suit. There's no better way to find out which of them
A special 'Salsa is Back' edition of LatinoLife in the Park will take place on Sunday 20 July in Walpole Park, London W5. Main stage headliners include TROMBORANGA, RENE ALVAREZ' TRIBUTE TO HECTOR LAVOE, celebrating the music of La Voz (The Voice). A NYC Salsa 'Immersive Experience' promis to transport festival goers to New York's Golden Era of salsa.
www.latinolifeinthepark.co.uk
Salsa Hits 60s Top10 of the
As we gear up for LatinoLife in the Park 2025 where we'll be celebrating one of Latin music's greatest contributions to the world, we bring you the story of salsa through the years. The Latin music timeline has a similar trajectory to that of black music in the US. Both were disparaged by the white-owned
media and industry, ignored by mainstream radio stations and labels, until the music itself began to seep through the cracks of the gatekeepers, culminating in the unstoppable tidlewave that Latin Music is today.
But we start at the very beginning, with the próceres and pioneers, Puerto Rican, Dominican and Cuban immigrants who in the early 1960s gathered in the makeshift studios of New York, to make the music they loved. This music would soon be branded and marketed as 'salsa', but at the time it was a cathartic immigrant experience, an expression of identity and belonging in a foreign land. Here are our selection of Salsa Hits of the 1960s. Enjoy!
Margie – Ray Barreto (1964)
Before the Fania label was founded in 1964, Barreto was already a top dog in New York’s Latin music scene. Margie remains one of the unofficial anthems of Cali, Colombia—a timeless classic that speaks to the global reach of salsa.
Azúcar Pa’ Ti – Eddie Palmieri (1965)
This explosive descarga helped define the sound of Latin music for generations. One of Palmieri’s finest works, it's still a showstopper in his live performances.
Richie’s Jala Jala – Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz (1967)
One of salsa’s most creative and innovative duos, this track showcases just how far ahead of the pack they were—fusing rhythm, melody, and madness like no one else.
La Soledad – Ismael Rivera (1966)
After serving time in prison, Puerto Rico’s top vocalist came back stronger than ever. La Soledad became a staple in salsa clubs worldwide and proved Rivera's unmatched talent and resilience.
Acuyuye – Johnny Pacheco (1962)
What Pacheco lacked in technical execution, he made up for in vision and creativity. Acuyuye stands as a joyful and enduring classic that defined his pioneering spirit.
Busca Lo Tuyo – Eddie Palmieri & Cheo Feliciano (1968)
When Palmieri's genius met the golden voice of Cheo Feliciano, the result was magic. This pre-"salsa” gem is a masterclass in musical chemistry and raw energy.
El Swing – El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico (1965)
From Puerto Rico’s most iconic salsa band, El Swing is a high-energy original that has been re-recorded, but never bettered. The original still hits hardest.
Che Che Colé – Willie Colón & Héctor Lavoe (1969)
An early hit for a young Lavoe and Colón, Che Che Colé opened the doors to stardom. It remains one of the most beloved tracks in their legendary repertoire.
El Pito (I’ll Never Go Back to Georgia) – Joe Cuba Sextet 1965
Only Joe Cuba could turn a racially charged phrase into a dancefloor anthem. El Pito launched him into crossover stardom and set the stage for Cheo Felici
I Like It Like That – Pete Rodríguez (1967)
The King of Boogaloo’s biggest hit. Released as the title track of his ground-breaking album, it became one of the most successful Latin songs in U.S. history—covered and sampled by everyone from Pharrell Williams to Cardi B.
Salsa Hits 70s Top10 of the
By the '70s Jerry Massuci's Fania label was exploding the New York Latin music scene and beyond. Known as the Motown of Latin music, for 20 years it was a conveyer belt of hits that took music from the Latin Carribean to the world and branded it 'salsa'. With Fania's musicians touring the world, the
70s would be later called the 'golden age' of salsa. In fact, Latin music, was all about to begin….
Llorarás – Oscar D’León y La Dimensión Latina (1975)
The quintessential salsa song! At a time when New York and Puerto Rico dominated the salsa scene worldwide, Venezuela's dancing double-bassist Oscar D’León and his band disrupted the market and became household names. Over 40 years later, Llorarás remains one of the most played salsa songs across the globe.
Pedro Navaja – Rubén Blades and Willie Colón (1978)
Rubén Blades was never your typical salsero. By the time he recorded this first single from Siembra - an album many consider the greatest salsa record of all time - under Willie Colón's production, he was already a respected songwriter with a few albums under his belt. But no one could have predicted the massive hit that Pedro Navaja - at 7 minute 22 seconds long - would be.
El Nazareno – Ismael Rivera (1974)
Arguably the best sonero ever, Ismael Rivera was already a massive figure in Latin music. After a few years in jail and a strained relationship with his label Fania, Rivera never quite regained his former commercial momentum. Still, during this period, he created some of his finest work, with El Nazareno standing out as a masterpiece.
El Cantante – Héctor Lavoe (1978)
For many, the greatest salsa singer ever. Lavoe’s pain and tribulations were well known, and no other song captured them as powerfully as El Cantante (written by Rubén Blades). It's a soul-baring anthem, recorded on the album Comedia, that became Lavoe’s signature song as it came to reflect the tragedy of his own life.
Isla del Encanto – Orquesta Broadway (1975)
When Fania’s sound started becoming repetitive, a movement within the NYC salsa scene returned to salsa's roots — with the charangas leading the way. Orquesta Broadway was one of the most popular of them all, and Isla del Encanto became their anthem.
Baila Que Baila – Típica 73 (1978)
One of the greatest salsa bands of their era, Típica 73 were actually the only American salsa band to record in Cuba after the revolution. Baila Que Baila, featuring a young José Alberto “El Canario,” encapsulates the spirit of New York salsa in the '70s.
Anacaona – Cheo Feliciano (1971)
Cheo Feliciano is often considered the most complete salsa vocalist ever — combining Héctor Lavoe’s sweet tone with Ismael Rivera’s sonero skills. Having found fame (and struggled with addiction) early on, Anacaona marked Cheo’s triumphant comeback — and it remains one of the greatest salsa songs ever recorded.
Boranda – Sonora Ponceña (1977)
One of the most iconic salsa bands of all time. Boranda, released in 1977, marked the peak of Papo Lucca’s creative run with Fania Records. A masterpiece of salsa arrangement and originality, it showcases Lucca’s incredible piano technique at its finest.
Guararé – Ray Barretto (1975)
By 1975, Ray Barretto was already a giant of Latin music. That year, he recruited two relatively unknown singers — Rubén Blades and Tito Gómez — and delivered one of salsa’s great albums, with Guararé as its lead single. Another Cuban classic turned into a Fania-era salsa anthem.
Un Verano en Nueva York – El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico (1975)
Recently sampled by Bad Bunny on his mega-hit DTFM album, this track is already a must for salseros worldwide. From their album 7, it showcases El Gran Combo — the greatest salsa band ever — at the peak of their powers, a form they have impressively maintained to this day.
Salsa Hits 80s Top10 of the
In the 1980s, salsa romantica was in ascendance with the likes of Frankie Ruiz and the tender melodies of Grupo Niche, while Ruben Blades and Willie Colon kept stretching the boundaries of political salsa. Whether in New York or Cali, these were the hits that were filling the dance floors in the 1980s!
Te Regalo el Corazon – Gran Combo
Classy romantic salsa from PR’s most revered and loved salsa band. When the old cats found themselves being left behind by the new crop of good looking salsa singers, Gran Combo shifted slightly to more romantic songs but kept it as swinging as usual recording some of their most poplar songs in that decade.
La Cura – Frankie Ruiz
Frankie Ruiz' first massive hit as a solo artist, already almost a veteran of the scene. Ruiz was the first Latino artist with a $1M record deal and he went on to become one of the best-selling Latino artists ever. Even by today's standards, long after his tragic death, Ruiz remains a hugely popular artist with 9M monthly listeners on Spotify alone. His distinctive voice, impeccable timing and swing, have made him an artist to last the ages.
Estar Enamorado – Louie Ramirez & Ray de la Paz
If there is a controversy on who created romantic salsa there is no controversy on who put it on the map. Also known as the Quincy Jones of salsa, Louis Ramirez was one of the most creative forces in salsa music. Alongside his compadre, one of the most gifted soneros and salsa singers, Ray de la Paz, they released the album “Noche Caliente” and romantic/erotic/sensual salsa went mainstream. This was their first single.
Señora Ley – Conjunto Clasico
When everyone was getting jiggly with their lyrics and creating simpler arrangements, Conjunto Clasico, an “Son” outfit with a young Tito Nieves as their main singer, was going back to the cuban roots of Salsa. This song from 1986 was a testament of how good music lasts the test of time - whenever it gets played today, the dance floor still gets packed!
Decisiones – Ruben Blades
One of the best albums in the history of Latino music, Buscando America is a testament of Blades talent as a songwriter and a band leader. All songs are just phenomenal, being this probably the most popular becase of its dancing edge.
Cali Pachanguero – Grupo Niche Colombian salsa was not taken seriously until Jairo Varela and Alexis Lozano Created Grupo Niche Lozano later split and created Orquesta Guayacan, but it was Varela who rode the earlier success of Colombian salsa, and Cali Pachanguero has become the “de facto” anthem of La Feria de cali and one of the most played songs in salsa clubs around te world
Ven Devorame Otra Vez – Lalo Rodriguez Rodriguez won a Grammy award at the age of 17 as part of Eddie Palmieri’s band. By the time he recorded his biggest hit, Ven Devore Otra Vez (Come, Devour Me Again) in 1988 he was already a big name in Latin music but this song became the first “global” salsa tune. It was hit in Europe, mostly Spain, where even a cover version was released by flamenco pop sensation Azucar Morena.
Lagrimas – Roberto Blades & Orq. Inmensidad Ruben’s younger and lesser known but no less talented brother (the only latino to win 3 Grammys as producer, singer and songwriter), this was his first hit as part of the band La Inmensidad, a collective of young Latino musicians in Miami, led by the also Panamanian Raul Gallimore. This song, despite the quality of its recording not being great, is an anthem in the Latin Caribbean and still kicking these days.
Oh, Qué Será? – Willie Colon
After his incredible run as band leader and producer for Hector Lavoe and Ruben Blades, Colon decided to have a go at singing. He ended up making one of the most iconic salsa tracks of the decade with a version of Chico Buarque’s Oh, Qué Será? (Sung in duet with Milton Nacimento) and an intro by Larice Lispector, a young Brazilian/Ukranian writer. Despite the song and the whole album being a total experiment, it was a phenomenal success for Colon and Fania and still considered one of the greatest masterpieces of salsa.
Me Diste de Tu Agua – Bobby Valentín
While not the biggest hit of its time, this is one of Bobby Valentín's many songs that has stood the test of time—sounding just as fresh today as it did when it was first released. Featuring a young Luisito Carrión on vocals, the track showcases Valentín’s brilliance as one of salsa’s most creative forces since the 1970s. Released at the height of the salsa romántica craze, Valentín proved that romantic salsa could still have rich, sophisticated arrangements—steering clear of the bland, watered-down sound that was flooding the market.
Salsa Hits 90s Top20 of the
By the '90s, salsa romantica was in full bloom with artists like Luis Enrique, Tito Rojas, Victor Manuelle and Jerry Rivera making things easier for boys on the dancefloor everywhere! Cool boy bands like DLG shook up the scene, Colombian salsa groups like Niche and Guayacan started to fly and the sweet sound of Cuba's Isaac Delgado was defying the blockade to rock the dancefloors of Miami. Meanwhile, the pioneering artists of the 70s like Ruben Blades and Willie Colon were entering into mature pastures, with a full-bodied sound and evermore -meaningful lyrics. Together these titans of melody and Caribbean rhythm were providing fertile ground for the emerging superstars such as Marc Anthony. If the 70s and 80s were the golden age, the 90s were the glory days. Not only did salsa become commercial and artists no longer had to go hungry, they became poster boys and superstars. So rich was this decade, with so many hits, that we couldn't possibly narrow our list to 10, so here we have 20 tracks. No explainers needed on these ones!
Date un Chance
Luis Enrique
Apiadate de mi
Victor Manuel
Persona Ideal Adolescent's Orquesta
Amor y Control
Ruben Blades
Que pasa Loco Isaac Delgado
Casi un hechizo Jerry Rivera
Oiga Mire Vea Orquesta Guayaban
Siempre Sere Tito Rojas
La Quiero a Morir DLG
Perdoname Gilberto Santa Rosa
Que Bueno baila Usted
Oscar D León
De mi Enamorate
Anuncio Clasificado
Sin Sentimientos
Tito Nieves
Idilio Willie Colon
Willie Rosario
Mi Libertad Frankie Ruiz
Grupo Niche
Como te Hago Entender
Roberto Roena
Bailemos Otra Vez
Jose Alberto “El Canario”
Si te vas Marc Anthony
Nunca Voy A Olvidarte India
Salsa Hits 00s Top10 of the
with the ascendence of reggaetón in the noughties, as new generations took over the streets and craved the ever-hardening bass, some of the best salsa tracks ever were made in these ten years. Whilst embracing the new urban beats coming out of Puerto Rico and Cuba, Latin music fans continued to indulge in their love of this genre and its rich tapestry of percussion and melody. Nineties heartthrobs like Luis Enrique continued their appeal to teenagers now turned mothers, the tumbao of Puerto Rico's Gran Combo, Cuba's Los Van Van or Colombia's Orquesta Guayacan remained too sweet to resist, whilst Nuyorican newcomers Spanish Harlem Orchestra showed a legacy. Some smootchy tunes here and some absolute dancefloor bangers...enjoy!
Yo no se mañana – Luis Enrique (2009)
And just when the pundits announced salsa dead, enter...the Prince of Salsa, just a few years older and but still the charm and the chops. The song was his highest-peaking single since "Lo Que Es Vivir" in 1992 and won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Tropical Song.
Conteo Regresivo – Gilberto Santa Rosa (2007)
Puerto Rico's quintessential romantic hero never dies. The live recording not only captured Gilberto's energy, elegance and soneo, that had made him one of salsa's biggest stars, but also the excitement that live salsa music created, reminding audiences what the genre had over reggaetón.
Me Libere – Gran Combo de Puerto Rico (2001)
This track, still played on every salsa club night around the world, showed that quality never goes out of fashion, and that this Puerto-Rican hit-making factory, still had it 30 years after they first were founded.
Después de Todo – Los Van Van (2004)
Even if it tried, Los Van Van, arguably the best Cuban band ever, could never not make dancefloor hits. After 30 years in the game, this beautiful song proved it was still innovating and connecting with and uplifting its audiences at an intimate and emotional level.
A Puro Dolor – Son by 4
(2000)
One that had everyone swooning, the love song of the Noughties which was used in various soap operas including Mexican blockbuster series "La calle de las novias"
La
Banda – Spanish Harlem Orchestra (2002)
A new band honouring the classic salsa dura sound of New York, created a new anthem to last the ages. The fantastic sound of this 13-piece band and its world class musicians, including prominent trombonist Jimmy Bosch and pianist Oscar Hernandez, perhaps also encapsulated why the industry was pushing reggaeton, so much cheaper and easier to make. But this instant classic showed the rewards of investment.
Cuando hablan las miradas – Orquesta Guayacan (2008)
No one quite does intensity like the Colombians...another orchestra churning out quality year on year, to prove that style (and salsa) never went out of fashion
A que se debe – Bobby Valentin (2007)
And the legends don't stop...at almost 80 years old this release took the unique style of a Latin jazz master into the 21st century.
Tu Cariñito – Puerto Rican Power (2000)
Everyone loved this track in the Noughties! It had the energy, the simplicity and the harmonies of a dancefloor hit. Just the title words set off the chorus in the brain...que me des tu cariñito, mi amor...
Te va a Doler – Maelo Ruiz (2003)
What a song, what a voice. Everyone loves a song about a break-up, but not everyone can make you want to dance like crazy singing about loss and regret. This salsa is as good as it gets!
Salsa Hits 10s & 20s Top10 of the
while at a commercial level, during the last two decades, it may seem that reggaetón took over and there were fewer new salsa albums and salsa bands touring. Reggaetón produced more money with less effort. But those who loved salsa kept producing salsa, and some amazing tracks were released, and the commercially successful salsa hits of all time. Those who kept producing salsa, their time has come as, all over Latin America, salsa is the music that is still played on the streets, brings families and friends together, and gets people dancing. These are the tracks we enjoyed over the recent years.
Vivir Mi Vida – Marc Anthony (2013)
Arguably the most streamed salsa song of all time and Marc Anthony’s biggest anthem. A salsa version of the international hit C’est la Vie by Algerian singer Khaled, this song is pure musical joy and dancefloor gold.
Carro de Fuego – Guayacán Orquesta (2015)
One of the greatest salsa orchestras of all time, Guayacán saw a huge resurgence in the 2000s and haven’t looked back since. Teaming up here with Puerto Rican vocalist Jan Collazo, this track has become a modern classic.
Ras Tas Tas – Cali Flow Latino (2016)
Propelled to global fame by James Rodríguez and the Colombian football team, who danced to it every time they scored during the 2014 World Cup. This was the breakout hit for salsa choke, the urban-infused salsa style born on Colombia’s Pacific coast. A genre-defining banger.
Agua Que Va a Caer – Tromboranga (2012)
One of the most loved salsa bands on the global circuit, Tromboranga has built a loyal following among dancers and hardcore salseros alike. Their no-frills, hard-hitting style shines in this breakthrough hit that became an instant classic pal bailador.
Pasaporte – Alexandre Abreu (2012)
Straight from Cuba, Abreu (an already accomplished trumpet player) made his international singing breakthrough with mis magnificent musical piece, putting together some great arrangements alongside some hard hitting lyrics about life in the island. He has not stopped touring the world since!
Baja – Guaco (2014)
Nothing stops a musical powerhouse from producing music, and these Venezuelan heavyweights have such a strong internal audience, Guaco has consistently pushed the boundaries of salsa, without depending on international fame. Baja is one of their most commercially successful tracks, blending reggaetón with their signature “Sonido Guaco” to stunning effect. A perfect example that great music knows no genre limits.
Corazón de Acero – Yiyo Sarante (2016)
The Dominican Republic has a rich history of producing great salsa vocalists, and Yiyo Sarante is the latest standout. Corazón de Acero is his signature hit, racking up over 350 million streams and cementing its place as one of the most popular salsa songs of the last decade
Camina Como Yo – Rene Alvarez and the Cuban Combination (2017)
Singer and bandleader Rene Alvarez has become one of the most recognisable voices in European salsa over the past decade. This track is his signature anthem—there isn’t a Cuban salsa night on the continent where it doesn’t get played.
Tú Con Él – Rauw Alejandro (2024)
Unlike Bad Bunny, Rauw opted for a straight-up cover, paying homage to the iconic Frankie Ruiz. While Rauw may lack Ruiz’s legendary swing, he brings plenty of charisma, helping reintroduce a salsa classic to a new generation.
Baile Inolvidable – Bad Bunny (2025)
What happens when the world’s biggest pop star records a salsa track with young musicians from his native Puerto Rico? You get a viral hit that introduces salsa to millions of new ears. Catchy and deceptively simple, this tune proves salsa is far from dead—it’s just evolving.
LatinoLife in the Park, the UK's largest Latin Music Festival, returns to West London's Walpole Park, W5 on Sunday 20th July.
In its 9th edition, SALSA IS BACK! with two main stage salsa headliners: TROMBORANGA, the world’s most successful salsa band and RENE ALVAREZ' TRIBUTE TO HECTOR LAVOE, celebrating the music of the legendary Fania artist, known by Latinos simply as La Voz (The Voice). Plus, a NYC Salsa 'Immersive Experience' promising to transport festival goers to New York's Golden Era of salsa, charanga and chachacha
FESTIVAL GUIDE
Also on the main stage, Peru's NOVA LIMA bring their unique fusion of Afro-Peruvian music and global DJ culture. In celebration of Colombian Independence Day, the music from the llanos (the flatlands between Colombia and Venezuela) comes to LatinoLife for very first time with the wonderful joropo group ZUMBAO.
We celebrate Mexico’s rich musical heritage with MARIACHI EL MEXICANO featuring Jari Castillo and introduce the intense vocal style and unique electro-folk ambience of rising-star MONTAÑERA.
The big top tent will be transformed into CLUB VIVA ARENA, London's non-stop dance party, fuelled by the biggest Latin bangers and anthems from across salsa, reggaeton, bachata, Latin house and baile funk. In our now legendary URBAN MUSIC SHOWCASE, representing the London underground scene, the creme de la creme of UK urban Latin talent deliver their British-Latin spin on reggaeton, hiphop, drill and afrobeats.
In our second IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE festival-goers can soak up the rich and ancient cultures of Andean Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile at CASA ANDINA with folk dance parades, cumbia, chicha, and electro-folk DJs, pisco cocktails, and delicious Andean street food.
Due to popular demand, after the huge success of our dance parades at LatinoLife’s festivals last year, we are bringing back the wonderful dance and drumming troupes, representing countries from all over Latin America. Expect a kaleidescope of colourful costumes and diverse sounds, as up to 300 dancers and drummers, pulsate through the festival, delivering a guaranteed feast for the senses!
Plus VIP area, Kidz Zone, food stalls, cocktail bars, drumming workshops and much more!
MAIN STAGE
Salsa is Back at our 9th edition of LatinoLife in the Park! Main stage salsa headliners include TROMBORANGA and RENE ALVAREZ' TRIBUTE TO HECTOR LAVOE, celebrating the music of the one and only, simply known as La Voz (The Voice). Peru's NOVA LIMA bring their unique fusion of Afro-Peruvian music and global DJ culture. In celebration of Colombian Independence Day, the music from the llanos (the flatlands between Colombia and Venezuela) comes to LatinoLife for very first time with the wonderful joropo group ZUMBAO. We celebrate Mexico’s rich musical heritage with a MARIACHI EL MEXICANO featuring Jari Castillo and introduce the intense vocal style and unique electro-folk ambience of rising-star MONTAÑERA.
Who better to celebrate the sumptious sound of the Latin Caribbean than one of the most successful salsa bands of the 21st century. This Barcelona-based outfit first exploded onto the music scene in 2011 with hit single Agua que va caer. From then onwards the group has become the most popular salsa band on the planet, with world tours, sell out shows and lauded albums. Made up of Cubans, Venezuelans and Colombians, the Tromboranga's unapologetic dedication to old-skool salsa dura, has accrued an unlikely following in an age where reggaetón dominated airwaves. Now that reggaeton artists are singing salsa, and we can freely and shamelessly admit that there is no better music to dance to on a summer's day in London, we've asked Tromboranga to bring their swing!
TROMBORANGA
Started by four friends from Lima with a shared passion for Afro-Peruvian music and global DJ culture, Novalima has for three decades bridged past and future, uniting tradition and innovation. Mixing the rich rhythms developed on Peru's Pacific coast from the 1500s by African slaves, and unique instruments such as el cajón (later adopted by Spanish flamenco), with 21st century electronica, NovaLima straddles a longstanding divide between the mainstream and the minority Afro-Peruvian community, who have survived discrimination and cultural dissolution for generations. The soul and rhythms of Africa melded with the melodies of Europe and Andean tones, result in a rich musical repertoire.
novalima
WEDN E S D AY 18
THURS D AY 19 JUNE - C o-op Liv E , Manc h e s
r S AT U R D AY 21 J UNE - T h e O2, L
We celebrate the life and music of Héctor Lavoe through the unrivalled vocal talents of Rene Alvarez, who leads an all-star band of London’s finest salsa musicians in homage to the legend simply known as La Voz (The Voice). Hector Lavoe’s decades of recording throughout the 70s and 80s earned him global stardom. Paired with Willie Colón, Lavoe’s timing and talent for improvisation complimented Colón’s brash New York City trombone-driven sound in one of the most productive and lasting collaborations in salsa, producing 14 albums before his solo career cemented his superstar status. Expect to hear some of salsa’s greatest hits such as El Cantante, Periódico de Ayer and Todo Tiene su Final interpretted by award-winning vocalist Rene Alvarez. Born in Cuba, Rene has for a decade been Europe’s most sought-after salsa bandleader, from headlining festivals to being the salsero of choice for celebrities in private members clubs and mansion concerts, as well as being featured in the latest James Bond movie ‘No Time to Die.’ Here, Rene pays tribute to his inspiration and hero.
RENE ALVAREZ
TRIBUTE TO HECTOR LAVOE
In celebration of Colombian Independance Day, we bring the music of the Colombian-Venezuelan llanos (plains). Six musicians rooted in joropo music, native to the border region that unites these neighbouring South American countries - Zahira Cárdenas (cuatro, bandola and vocals), Elvis Piraban (harp and maracas), Edgar Sebastián Barrera (maracas and cuatro guitar), Sergio Cisneros (electric bass) and Juan Diego Achury (clarinet) -intertwine joropo llanero with a fresh and avant-garde approach. Using emblematic llanero instruments such as the harp, the cuatro (four-stringed guitar) the maracas, the electric bass and the clarinet, Zumbao takes us on a journey through the complex rhythms, sounds and styles embedded in their joropo roots.
We celebrate Mexico’s rich musical heritage and this sublime artform, still underexposed in the UK, through the finest mariachi musicians and vocalists. This showcase highlights the cultural significance of mariachi music across the Americas, featuring masterful instrumentation, powerful vocal arrangements, and a dynamic repertoire ranging from vibrant rancheras to heart-wrenching boleros.
Mariachi El Mexicano has been the leading light of quality mariachi music in the UK, and 20-year old phenomenon Jari Castillo is one of the very few vocalists in Europe able to sing these complex and much-loved songs. Expect classics from Latin American songbook, such as El Cielo Lindo, La Bikina, El Rey y Mexico Lindo y Querido.
Hot off her SXSW performance, British-Colombian singer-songwriter Montañera is one of London's most exciting Latin talents, making waves for her intense and unique vocal style over layers of electronic, folk, and ambient. Rolling Stone Magazine has named her "one of the greatest voices to have emerged from Colombia in the past years,” and she has been signalled as 'One to Watch" by The Observer Music Monthly. Her “fluid continuum, folk music is a living, breathing entity, meant to free us,” says Pitchfork, who gave her album, A Flor De Piel, 8.0. She has performed at the world's major venues such as Kennedy Center (Washington D.C.), KEXP (Seattle), Lollapalooza, Estéreo Picnic Festival (Colombia), MaMA Festival (Paris), BIME music market (Spain) and her music has appeared in multiple Netflix series, including Wild District (2019), Crime Diaries (2019), La Venganza de las Juanas (2021), and Accidente (2024).
MARIACHI EL MEXICANO
Featuring Jari Castillo
club viva stage
Bringing the feel of the Latin Night Club, London's most exciting Latin DJs will frame our legendary Urban Music Showcase, which introduces this year's creme de la creme of Urban Latin Talent from the UK underground scene.
URBAN MUSIC SHOWCASE
The Urban Latin Showcase is a pioneering platform dedicated to celebrating the rising stars of the UK Urban Latin music scene. Each year marks a new phase in the evolution of reggaeton, Latin rap and afro-Latin rhythms within the British music landscape as we launch new fresh voices fusing their Latin heritage with contemporary UK urban influences such as grime, drill and hiphop. These artists present a fresh, innovative sound, reflecting, in their own way, the growing global influence and cultural significance of Latin urban music.
One of the most talented artists from our community, this UK rapper with Colombian roots, is known for his dynamic fusion of drill and rap with bilingual lyrics. Raised on Islington's Popam estate, Zems was putting out music and videos on his own, since his teens, and soon gained recognition from peers such as Dave, Central Cee and BBC Radio 1xtra's DJ Kenny Allstar. His writing skills, unique cadence, street narrative and authentic expression of Latino immigrant reality resonated with young London Latinos immediately. His music transcends cultural boundaries, promising a bright future in the industry.
Angelo Flow
zEMS
This reggaeton artist from Venezuela came to the UK as a teenager and soon became the poster boy of London’s growing reggaeton scene. His releases - Solo Tú with Lisa Mercedes and Hotsteppa with J Spadesbecame the fastest streamed Latin songs ever released by an independent UK-based Urban Latin artist. Angelo has also achieved significant media coverage, including radio play on Kiss Xtra, BBC London, Kiss FM, Capital Xtra, as well as articles in The Guardian and Complex magazine.
Yxng Dave is a rising UK-Colombian-Spanish artist poised for success. His single 'Canada Fur' has already garnered over 3 million streams, and he recently collaborated with UK legend Chip on the track 'Blacked Out'. He has toured with Dappy & KSI, performing at Wembley Arena twice and at the ring walk for KSI’s boxing match at the O2 Arena and at Manchester Arena. He has been featured on the popular video game NBA 2K22 with the song 'Coupe' and has recently dropped his debut EP 'FAMOSO'. Amassing over 22,000 subscribers on YouTube, 33,000 followers on Instagram & 7000 on Spotify, Yxng Dave was praised by J Balvin in a recent interview and is definitely one to watch.
Yxng Dave
Caroline Alvares, known as Caro Caxi, is a London-based singer-songwriter with Spanish, Portuguese, and Asian heritage. Formerly part of the girl group Four of Diamonds, she gained recognition for hits like "Name on It" and "Stupid Things." Transitioning to a solo career, Caro has worked with artists like Yendry & Lola Indigo and has taken sessions with J.Balvin. Signed to Warner Chappell UK, her recent solo show at SXSW London created a buzz, signalling her as a promising figure in the music industry.
Caro Caxi
Milena Sanchez
Born and raised in London, in a Colombian household, Milena released her highly anticipated Una Latina en Londres EP in 2024. Having built an impressive social media following, through her music she continues to have an authentic connection with her audience, as she details life experiences that feed into female empowerment. Her music blends English and Spanish. 2025 is gearing up to be Milena's most consistent year in music, in which she is determined to prove her worth as an artist to watch.
On our second stage, London’s best Latin DJs fuelling the party from 12 noon to 10pm with the Latin bangers, taking you on a jour ney through ton, salsa, bachata, cumbia and merengue via Latin house, baile funk and samba, guaranteeing that you won’t wanna leave!
On our second stage, London’s best Latin DJs fuelling the party from 12 noon to 10pm with the Latin bangers, taking you on a jour ney through r ton, salsa, bachata, cumbia and merengue via dembo Latin house, baile funk and samba, guaranteeing that you won’t wanna leave!
on the decks...
oopsy daisy
immersive experience
At NYC SALSA, you'll be transported to the streets of 1970s Spanish Harlem in our homage to New York's golden era of salsa, when records labels such Fania, Vaya and Cotique created the sound that would define Latin music for decades to come.
DJs Edwin Ray
Oscar Ivan, Edwin Serna and Cruz will be spinning the classics of the era, from the likes of Cheo Feliciano, Ismael Rivera, Celia Cruz, Hector Lavoe, Willie Colon, Ruben Blades, Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri, Johnny Pacheco, Bobby Valetín to name a few.
Due to popular demand, after the huge success of our dance parades at LatinoLife’s festivals last year, we are bringing back the wonderful dance and drumming troupes, esenting countries from all over Latin America. Expect a kaleidescope of colourful costumes and diverse sounds, as up to 300 dancers and drummers, pulsate through the festival, delivering a guaranteed feast for the senses!
There'll be vinyl sets by Eric "The Saint" and Dorance Lorza, accompanied by Julian El Moro on percussion and the dancers from Los Rumberos, dressed to suit the times. Meanwhile the flavours of Puerto Rico, Cuba and Dominican Republic - chicharrón, arroz con pollo and ropa vieja will be the only thing tempting you away from the fun. With all the ingredients to create the sights, sounds and smells of a Nuyorican street party, there's no avoiding the fiesta in our Latin quarter barrio!
the Meanwhile of sounds
2025-26
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BEING
LatinoLife’S Mentoring Programme supports creatives of Latin American or Spanish origin (either born or residing in the UK) who have embarked on a career in the UK but need guidance, expertise and help to develop themselves professionally.
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immersive experience CASA
region, Latin America's biggest mountain range, 5,000 miles long with peaks exceeding 22,000
Land of the Incas, home to ancient kingdoms, our unites the diverse peoples of our continent, from south to north, through its connection to pachamama, (mother earth).
Due to popular demand, after the huge success of our dance parades at LatinoLife’s festivals last year, we are bringing back the wonderful dance and drumming troupes, representing countries from all over Latin America. Expect a kaleidescope of colourful costumes and diverse sounds, as up to 300 dancers and drummers, pulsate through the festival, delivering a guaranteed feast for the senses!
London's many Andean dance and music groups from Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, will
bring their unique costumes and colours, share their rituals and dances all to the sounds of
stalls, the vibes
chicha, electro-folk and huayno, played by DJs and live bands, where the panpipe (siku), quena and charango, and other traditional instruments take centre stage. Complemented with the offerings of Andean food and craft stalls, we invite you to soak up the spiritual vibes and relax in the cosmovision in this a unique chill-out area, away from the party stages.
THE & JUNE
DJS, LIVE PAS, DANCE ANIMATIONS, LATIN STREET FOOD & COCKTAILS BAR, CRAFT STALLS AND MUCH MORE! FREE ENTRY
